48. Freeze-Ahead Garlic Bread

No Italian meal would be complete without a savory loaf of garlic bread. Freeze a few loaves of this ahead of time and you'll always have plenty for pasta night!

Ingredients:

1 long loaf French or Italian bread
6 to 8 tbs butter, room temp.
2 tbs dried Italian Seasoning
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Grated Parmesan cheese

Make-Ahead Preparation:

Slice bread lengthwise leaving one side intact. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, Italian seasoning and garlic. Mix well.

Spread each cut side of the bread with the butter mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese to taste over both sides of the bread. Close the loaf.

Wrap loaf in tin foil. Label and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

Last Minute Preparation:

Allow bread to thaw overnight in the freezer, if desired.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If bread is frozen, loosen the foil and bake for 15 minutes. Open up the bread so the cut sides are exposed and cook for approximately 15 more minutes.

If bread is coming out of the refrigerator, cut cooking time down by about 10 minutes.

Slice into 1" slices on the diagonal and serve.

47. Freeze-Ahead Baked Ziti

This to-die-for classic Italian dish gets sneaky -- with vegetables that is. This recipe calls for two fresh zucchini, but you can also sneak in other vegetables such as muchrooms, carrots, etc. for all of those finicky eaters in your family.

Ingredients:

1 pound of uncooked ziti, rigatoni or penne rigata
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium zucchini, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
One 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes in purée
2 tsp Italian seasoning plus 1 tsp
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 egg whites
One 15-oz container part-skim Ricotta cheese
2/3 cup of part-skim Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Make-Ahead Preparation:

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, warm the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, zucchini and garlic. Cover the pan and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes, making sure not to brown the garlic. Add in the tomatoes, 2 tsp Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer an additional five minutes. Add the pasta to the mixture and combine well.
Blend together the egg whites, 1 tsp Italian seasoning and Ricotta cheese until smooth. Add the Ricotta cheese to the pasta/sauce mixture in dollops and mix in slightly. (You don't want the Ricotta to disappear, but you do want it to be blended in.)

Line a 3-quart casserole dish with tin foil. Add in the pasta mixture and completely cover the pasta with foil. Allow to cool, label and freeze.

When frozen through, you can remove the foil wrapped pasta from the casserole dish and either wrap in plastic wrap or put in a ziploc bag to free up your dish for us.

Freeze for up to two months.

Last Minute Preparation:

Remove pasta from the freezer. Unwrap, place into original casserole dish, cover and allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 325. Cook for 30 minutes. Top with the Parmesan and Mozzerella and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and pasta is heated through.

46. Orange-Glazed Candied Carrots

Even the pickiest veggie-haters will love these carrots. Drenched in citrus and sweetly kissed with brown sugar, this dish will be a great addition to any meal!

Ingredients:

2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 1" slices OR peeled baby carrots
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate , thawed
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Make-Ahead Preparations:

Set a large pot of water to boil. Cook carrots in boiling water until tender but still crisp, approximately 10 to 12 minutes if using baby carrots, 5 minutes more if using regular carrots.

While carrots cook, combine other remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until butter and marmalade are melted. Do not let boil.

Once carrots cook drain and place in a casserole dish with lid. Pour marmalade mixture over carrots and stir until marmalade mixture coats the carrots.

Cover and refrigerate for up to three days.

Last Minute Preparation:

Remove carrots from refrigerator and give them a stir. Heat in a 350 oven for approximately 15 minutes or until heated through, or in microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes.

Sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley over the carrots, if desired.

Goes well with:

• Not-just-for-Easter Slow-Cooked Ham
• Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Marinated Green Bean Salad
• Individual Stacked Salads

45. Freeze Ahead Fried Rice

Spectacularly tasty, genuinely simple, and a breeze to freeze. You can serve this sans meat or add in pork, chicken or shrimp for a main dish that's sure to please.

Ingredients:

3 tbs soy sauce
5 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbs sesame oil
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening or cooking oil
3/4 pound cooked pork, chicken or shrimp (optional)
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 large shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut into 1/3-inch dice
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 cups cold cooked Japanese short-grain rice
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt to taste

Make-Ahead Preparation:

In a small bowl, stir the soy sauce with the rice vinegar, sesame oil and sugar.

Heat a very large skillet or wok. Add the shortening and let melt or the cooking oil. Add the diced meat (if using chicken, shrimp or pork) and stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute. Add the peas, shiitakes and carrots and stir-fry until tender. Add the eggs and scramble just until set.

Stir in the cooked rice, scallions, soy sauce mixture and pepper and stir-fry until the rice is hot. Remove from the heat and season with salt.

Spread flat on cookie sheet and allow to cool. Transfer into ziploc bags. Press them flat and make you get all of the excess air out of them before sealing. (By pressing them flat, they will freeze and heat more evenly and will be easier to stack in your freezer.)

Transfer to freezer and freeze for up to one month.

Last Minute Preparation:

Remove rice from freezer. Tap ziploc bags on the counter to begin to break up the rice. Put into microwave-safe baking dish or bowl and microwave 30 to 60 seconds or until heated through.

If rice seems dry, add a few tablespoons of chicken broth.

44. Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

You'll feel like you're in Italy when you taste this heavenly Chicken Cacciatore. Forgot slaving over a hot stove, though, since it all gets tossed in the crockpot!

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs
2 chicken breasts with skin and backbone, halved crosswise
2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 onion, cut into slices
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (San Marzano if available)
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)

Make-Ahead Preparation:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, place the chicken in the skillet and cook just until the outside is browned and slightly crispy, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from skillet.

Place onion slices in bottom of crockpot. Top with the chicken. Add the peppers on top of the chicken.

Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over the ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on low heat for 7 to 9 hours, or high heat for 3 to 4 hours.

Last Minute Preparation:

Remove the chicken from the crockpot and keep warm. Turn heat to high. Leave cover off and let simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, skimming any fat off of the surface as it rises.

Serve chicken over cooked pasta and top with extra sauce.

43. Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos

Who said you can't have a hot breakfast even on school/workdays? Make up a batch of these breakfast burritos ahead of time and you'll be eating a healthy breakfast in just ten minutes!

Ingredients:

12 eggs
2 cups cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup chopped veggie trio (red, peppers, green peppers, onions)
1/2 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste
24 medium flour tortillas OR 12 large flour tortillas
salsa

Make-Ahead Preparation:

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the milk and salt and pepper.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly, being careful not to brown the eggs, until cooked through.

While the eggs are cooking, place your tortillas on a microwave-safe dish and cover with plastic wrap. Heat for 30 to 45 seconds or until tortillas are just slightly warm. (Warming the tortillas makes them more pliable. If your tortillas are already soft enough to roll, you can omit this step.)

When the eggs are cooked through, stir veggies.

Place ½ cup egg mixture into each tortilla (more if using larger tortillas); sprinkle with cheese and top with some salsa. Roll them up burrito-style.

Wrap each tortilla in tin foil, place on a large baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen through, transfer the burritos in batches to ziploc bags. Freeze for up to one month.

Last Minute Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove burritos from ziploc bags and heat in the tin foil for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.

42. Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

You can make them healthy or indulgent, plain or fancy. But no matter what style you choose to make, these will be delicious fresh or out of the freezer.

Ingredients:

8 large Russet potatoes (approx. 5 lbs), peeled and cut into uniform sized chunks
8 tbs. (1 stick) butter at room temperature
1 to 2 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste

Make-Ahead Preparation:

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain.

Add the butter, salt & pepper and 1 cup of the milk. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, adding the rest of the milk as needed. Continue to mash, adding milk/butter/salt & pepper until the desired taste and consistency

Allow potatoes to cool completely. Put into airtight containers or a covered baking dish and refrigerate for up to two days or freeze for up to two months.

Last Minute Preparation:

Allow potatoes to defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until heated through. Give them a stir about halfway through and add more milk for a lighter consistency.

Variations:

• Creamy and indulgent: Cut the milk down to 1/2 cup and add 1 cup sour cream and 6 oz of creamed cheese at room temperature.
• A hint of onion: Subsitute onion salt for the table salt and add in some snipped chives after mashing.
• Wasabi mashed: Add in 2 to 3 tablespoons wasabi powder.
• Cheesy mashed: Add in 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese.
• Homestyle: Substitute 5 lbs red potatoes. Scrub them well and leave the skins on. Undermash slightly so there are still some discernable chunks.
• Healthy: Substitute 4 tbs margarine for the butter. Use skim milk. Add in Molly McButter or Butter Buds to taste.

Goes well with:

• Not-just-for-Easter Slow-Cooked Ham

41. Not-Just-For-Easter Slow-Cooked Ham

With this oh-so-easy crockpot recipe, baked ham will quickly make its way onto your regular meal menus.

Ingredients:

2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 6-8 lb cured, bone-in ham
fresh or canned pineapple slices, optional

Make-Ahead Preparation:

Spread about three-fourths of the brown sugar on the bottom of your crockpot. Place the ham flat side down into the crockpot on top of the brown sugar. (You might have to trim it a little to make it fit.)

Using your hands, rub the remaining brown sugar onto the ham. If desired, cover with pineapples slices.

Cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.

Goes well with:

• Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

40. Honey-Sesame Chicken Skewers

Not just any chicken. this recipe gets its full flavors from the combination of cumin, paprika, termeric and cayenne pepper. Grill some up ahead of time and you can have an indoor barbecue any time of the year.

Ingredients:

1 cup honey
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. turmeric
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat

Make-Ahead Preparation:

Combine honey, sesame seeds, lime juice, olive oil, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne, paprika and turmeric in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut chicken into strips approx. 1" wide or into 1" chunks. Place chicken in ziploc bag and pour honey-sesame mixture over. (You can freeze the chicken before or after grilling. Choose which method you would like below.)

If freezing uncooked chicken:

Place the bag with the chicken and marinade in the freezer. Freeze up to two months.

Allow chicken to thaw in the marinade overnight in the refrigerator. Thread onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in warm water so that they do not burn. Discard any leftover marinade.

Preheat grill or broiler. Grill or broil on high approximately 6 to 8 minutes each side.

If freezing pre-cooked chicken:

Place bag with chicken and marinade in refrigerator and allow to sit at least overnight.

Preheat grill or broiler. Thread chicken onto wooden skewers that havae been soaked in warm water so that they do not burn. Discard any leftover marinade.

Grill or broil on high approximately 6 to 8 minutes each side. Remove from grill or broiler and allow to cool completely.

Wrap cooled chicken in foil (either on or off the skewers) in tin foil and place in freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Allow chicken to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a preheated 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

39. Freezer Buttermilk Biscuits

Not only are these the best biscuits you'll ever have, but you can refrigerate or freeze them for delightful fresh, hot biscuits whenever you want!

Ingredients:

6 cups white flour
3 tbs sugar
5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup shortening
2 cups buttermilk
2 tsp dry yeast (or 1 package)
3 tbs warm water (approx. 100 degrees F)

Make-Ahead Preparation:

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening using two table knives or a pastry cutter. Add buttermilk.

Dissolve yeast in water and add to mixture. Knead lightly on floured surface. Roll out to 1/2-inches thick and cut with biscuit cutter or rimmed edge of glass. Place on prepared cookie sheets and cover with plastic wrap. Place in freezer until completely frozen through. Remove from cookie sheet and store in ziploc bags for up to 3 months.

Last Minute Preparation:

Allow biscuits to thaw in refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place biscuits 2" apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 450 degrees F about 10-12 minutes. Serve with lots of butter, jam or sausage gravy!